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Re: Remember my question to you all about clowns getting aggressive with age....

Posted By: Trebor
Date: Monday, 3 April 2000, at 12:26 a.m.

In Response To: Remember my question to you all about clowns getting aggressive with age.... (Fran)

I know that nobody cares about what i think but you have to consider the "why" of aggression. What does aggression mean? That the fish is just trying to be mean, just to be mean? That it is a "natural born killer", an insatiable killing machine like the shark in "Jaws"? That the "aggressive" fish is just a jerk, while corydorus are good samaritans? Animals do things for a reason, and their behavior is effected by the artificial habitat in which they are kept. Factors include how big their environment (a fish tank is unnatural, mostly closed, artificial, usually too small environment), how many conspecifics share their environment (other fish of the same species, peers, the greater the number of fish usually makes for more natural behavior), how many other fish and what type of fish kept in the environment (large, small, active, diurnal, nocturnal?), whether the fish are sexually mature or juveniles, and whether the environment is wide open or has many hiding places?

So what does he mean by "aggressive"? Is is said that large Clowns will eat small fish, will have predatory behavior. Pretty much ALL fish of all sizes will eat small creatures for food. Did the Clowns fight amongst themselves? You should know what situations the adult Clown(s)were kept in to try to understand their behavior. Obviously few people get to keep adult Clowns, and a lot of observations are needed with these unique fish. Is a dog "aggressive" because it barks at a passing dog or wants to chase a cat? As a hobbyist, people should be responsible to try to understand and learn more about behavior, so the hobbyist can provide the best "home" for their fish. Don't just say that "this fish is aggressive and mean, while this fish is friendly". Ask why it seems that way?


 

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